What is proper office attire during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Q. I know a lot of people are working from home a few days out of their work week. How they dress during those days at home is really none of my business, but am I wrong to think that if they make an appointment with you to meet with them in their office, they should not be wearing short shorts or sweatpants? Not only do I think dressing like that is inappropriate, but I also think it is unprofessional. Correct me if I am totally off base here.
A. You are not “off base” and yes, I most definitely agree with you. If you are given an appointment to meet with someone in their office, they should be dressed in a professional manner, and that does not include short shorts or sweatpants. What someone wears when working from home is up to them. Having said that, I do believe they would conduct their business in a more professional manner if they were to at least dress “Friday Casual” on the days they work from home. When the wave of Casual Fridays was instituted with the intent of the clothing stores selling more clothes and it became popular in the workforce, studies were eventually conducted indicating workers who were allowed to dress any way they wanted on certain days of the week or once a month, treated their customers more casually and often with less professionalism and less respect. Corporations began to realize they were losing business on those “casual” days and eventually carefully canceled the policy.
The bottom line is this: While the pandemic has caused us to adapt to many different changes to what we previously felt was “normal”, we should not use the pandemic as an excuse to conduct business in our office without dressing professionally.
Babysitter complications
Q. My husband and I have to attend a couple of evening meetings associated with a new business opportunity we are pursuing. We will have to have a babysitter. We called one young lady whom we have had before and we were pleased with how she took care of our two small children. When we advised her she would have to wear a mask while babysitting; that we would take her temperature before she came into our house, and that her boyfriend could not stop by, she told us we were being totally unreal. Are we?
A. No, you are not. Whether this young lady babysat for you before or not, it is your home and you set the rules for babysitters. You are correctly focused on maintaining the safety of your family. If this young lady who although has done a great job before babysitting for you, chooses not to accept the rules now required for the position, then move on to the next young lady’s name on your list.
Interviewing etiquette
Q. My son tells me he is going to be interviewed for a new position within his current company. It will be conducted utilizing Zoom in a week or so. I suggested he wear the new tie I bought him for his recent birthday. He informs me he is not going to wear a tie or a white shirt or a suit because he is already working for this company and he knows the people who will be interviewing him. I said nothing more but I am wondering: Has something changed with regard to interviewing rules? Is it because it is being done via Zoom?
A. I don’t think Zoom has anything to do with what your son decides to wear during an interview and the normal rules of wearing a suit for an interview have not changed; however, some of those in the younger generation of today seem to be setting new rules of their own. Hope he gets the promotion. If he doesn’t, I suggest you not mention the tie or suit even though it might warrant a second thought for his next interview.